Building block



J. C. POTH.

BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FlLED APR. 4, 1922.

1A8 6mq. Patented Dc.12,1922.

.- T as Eph P h Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

NTEM STATEfi JOSEPH C. POTH, 01E MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BUILDING BLOCK.

Application filed April 4,

T 0 all whom 2' t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. Porn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Building Blocks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in building units such as the usual hollow concrete or tile blocks generally in use as a material for constructing dwellings and other buildings.

It is one important object of my invention to provide va simply constructed building block which can be inexpensively made of concrete and the like, and which will have a very effective means for retaining the several blocks forming a wall against possible longitudinal or transverse shifting.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a building block having means in one or more of its exposed faces, whereby when a number of siich blocks are associated together in the form of a wall, an extremely effective binding may be obtained therebetween.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ventilated building block having means for association with the ventilating opening of adjacent blocks which will prevent the plurality of blocks forming a wall from shifting with respect to each other.

With these general objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents an elevational view of a portion of one corner of a building wall fashioned of our improved blocks.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the corner portion of an unfinished wall.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2. and

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2. a In using my improved block, various different arrangements may be employed in assembling the same, and also changes may be made in the form and proportions and in the minor details of construction without departing from the principles of the invention 1922. Serial No. 549,409.

or sacrificing any of the important advantages. For instance, in Figure 2 is shown a corner block which is slightly different from the'ordinary intermediate wall blocks, while in Figure -5 is depicted a block somewhat different from the other illustrated embodiments of the invention.

Referring more particularly to these drawings, it will be seen that we may construct a wall of any suitable size and shape with a number of our improved blocks 1, each of which is substantially rectangular and is provided with a longitudinally .extending substantially rectangular recess 2 opening thru the top and bottom thereof. As indicated in Figure 3, the several recesses in the pluralityof blocks 1 forming the wall are not alined, but there is communication therebetween so that proper ventilation may be had. Each of the blocks 1 has a vertically extending centrally located tongue 3 at one end, and in a similar position at the other end is provided a vertical channel 4.

The tongues 3 and channels 4 are of a corresponding size and shape, and when the blocks are assembled the tongue of one of the same is located in the channel of the next adjacent block in the same horizontal row. However, when an end or corner block 1 is used, the usual end channel is omitted and instead is formed in one of the side walls as shown at 4: in Figure 2. Thus the ordinary formation of the outer exposed face of the wall may be similar throughout the surface thereof.

Each end of the recess 2 is provided with upstanding lugs 5, these lugs projecting above the upper surface of the block a sufficient distance to effectively co-operate with the faces of the recesses in the adjacent blocks when the plurality of said blocks are assembled. Obviously if it is considered necessary or desirable, these lugs may depend from the bottoms of the blocks, or in assembling the same, said blocks may be inverted.

Likewise each of the blocks 1 and 1 has its outer exposed face provided at each cornor with a rabbet 6, in other words these rabbets extend around the entire outer exposed face of the blockas shown in Figure 5, and if necessary the inner exposed face may be similarly provided with rabbets 7. These rabbets are of such a shape that when two or more blocks are assembled, they cooperate to. form a dovetail channel in which a suitable plastic binding material 8 may be forced, such material when hardened providing an effective seal and a means for preventing shifting of the different blocks.

\Vhen the plurality of blocks are assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the tongues 3 will be located intheir respective channels 4 and the lu s 5 in the adjacent recesses 2 of the blocks in the next higher row. Under ordinary circumstances the tongues and grooves would prevent lateral shifting of the blocks, but theprovision of the lugs in co-operation with the ventilating recesses provide a still further improvement in the wall. And, in addition to these features the dovetail binding between the corner portions of each of the blocks provides a structure which will be a very great improvement over the usual wall formed of concrete or other composition building blocks, and it is also to be noted that the present improved blocks may be constructed and assembled at a cost which is no greater than the average similar blocks.

The blocks l have upper surfaces 9 which are inclined to facilitate the centering of an upper block on a lower one, and to prevent the transverse movement of each block with respect to others so that the connection between each block and the blocks above and below is rigid, durable and adapted to withstand severe stresses for a long period of time. The nature of the inclined surfaces 9 is such that there is a cooperative relationship between them and lugs 5 and tongues 3 these parts cooperating to make an especiall rigid and lastin structure. The end bloc 1 are provided with surfaces 9 which, however, terminate at 10 intermediate of the ends of the block, the surfaces 11 being substantially flat, so that it is unnecessar that the end'blocks 1' should all lie in t e same direction, but preferably contiguous igure 2 inwith res ect to the -immediatel end bloc s, the dotted lines in dicating the position of the immediately lower end block.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture,"a rectangular building block having a vertical opening therethru, a lug projecting upwardly at one end of said opening whereby when the blocks are laid in staggered relation the lug of said block will project in the opening of the block above and center said block, said block having inclined upper and lower surfaces;

2. As an article of manufacture, a feetangular building block having a vertical opening therethru, and having a rabbet around the periphery of one of its faces, a lug projecting-upwardly at one end of the opening whereby when the blocks are laid in staggeredrelation the lug of said block will project into the opening in the block above and center said block so that the adj acent rabbets'of two contiguous blocks will register to form a recess to receive plastic material, said blocks having inclined upper and lower surfaces.

3. As an article of manufacture, a rectangular building block having a vertical opening therethru, a lug upwardly projecting at an end of the opening whereby when the blocks are laid in stag ered relation said lug of said block will pro ect into the opening in the block albove and center said block, said block having inclined upper and lower surfaces and flat upper and lower surfaces.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin,

JOSEPH C. POTH. 

